WARNING: BE AWARE THAT THESE
BIBLE STUDIES CONTAIN SOME EXPLICIT
MATERIAL. ALL SUCH ARE DIRECT QUOTATIONS
FROM RELIABLE BIBLE TRANSLATIONS, BUT
MAY OFFEND NONETHELESS.
Aware of the trash that is
really out there on the Net, the above
warning for merely the Scriptural
references included in the following
studies may seem a bit overdone. But the
Bible can be quite provocative--and we
did not want the potential reader to be
unaware of this.
As a re-assurance, beyond the
plain (and shocking) meaning of
Scripture--we add nothing in commentary
that should offend.
PLEASE READ THE INTRO LETTER, below.
The links to the specific studies are at
the end.
This is a series of Bible Studies on
Spiritual Adultery. The subject
matter may require a little
explaining.
Considering the Biblical warnings
about widespread deception and a
great falling away right before the
End of the Age, it seemed wise to
search the Scriptures and apply
ourselves in Bible Study concerning
the following topics: Spiritual
Adultery, Witchcraft, The Name,
Idolatry, Demons, and False
Prophecy. And so we did.
The problem is that it is
difficult to separate any of these
topics from the overall subject of
Spiritual Adultery. Try it yourself.
Look up these subjects in a
concordance, and you'll find the
text getting into figurative, sexual
imagery very quickly.
We are sensitive spiritual
creatures. God has made us this
way, has given us this gift... so
that we might experience and enjoy
Him. But our spiritual sensitivity
can easily be misused or
misdirected.
God is a jealous God, and it is
difficult to understand why
Scripture is so dramatic and
vehement about the above topics,
without realizing that--from God's
perspective--these are deviations
from our "first love". We must first
recognize the tendency towards
Spiritual Adultery before we can
really understand the motive behind
the specific problems.
To dwell in "the council of the
Lord" is to believe everything that
God has said about Himself, and also
everything that God has said
about us.
The milk goes down fine, but we
often choke on the meat in either
case. It takes longer to chew and
digest, and must admit that we have
a tendency to avoid it and go for
the bottle.
For example, it is hard to
believe that God is as sovereign,
holy, loving, and jealous as He says
He is, so we imagine a "god" more to
our liking. Likewise it is hard to
believe we are as wicked as God says
we are, so we ignore what the Spirit
reveals and develop a positive
self-image. But, such illusions will
be shattered, perhaps very soon;
hopefully now--with a chance to
repent, rather than later. Scripture
is useful to this end.
We all want to believe that we
are pure and acceptable before God
on our own merit. Nothing could be
further from the truth. Gods wants
His people to know that they
have been and can be
spiritually unfaithful. Until we
acknowledge this innate tendency,
why bother talking about specific
applications? We won't believe them
possible! What, us?
The shameful truth is, it is
possible, and things will get worse
before the End.
Please consider that we took six
weeks to go through what you are
about to see. It is hoped, by the
Holy Spirit, that they are intensely
convicting, and we would not advise
reading more than one at a time.
They only take about 20 minutes to
read, but we would recommend taking
about an hour to reflect, check, and
pray over each study.
Here are the links together with
a brief overview of each of the six
studies in this series:
-
God uses sexual imagery to
describe our desire to "whore"
after the latest religious fads,
to believe sophistries, to
embrace the world. What is
obviously witchcraft, idolatry,
carnal, false, or demonically
enhanced is readily embraced as
long as it is popular. Deviant
"ministries" jostle to feed our
lust to be hip & trendy. Do we
recognize how intense the desire
is within us to "cruise" for
spiritual thrills? God has a few
things to say concerning this.
-
Wanting to be a spiritual "mover
and shaker" without submitting
to God; rebellion coupled with a
desire to be a spiritual player.
Some provocative suggestions are
made of how witchcraft works and
may have been repackaged to
appeal to modern Christians.
"For rebellion is as the sin of
witchcraft."
-
When anything or anybody gets
what only God deserves. Idols
held in front of us eclipse God.
Idolatry is so widespread in our
culture that it hardy seems
wrong, even in the Church. But
God has spoken clearly about the
destiny of idols and those who
boast in them. "Those who cling
to worthless idols forfeit the
grace that could be theirs."
-
God is jealous for His Name.
God's Name represents His
nature, character, and Spirit.
We do something in the Name of
God when His nature, His
character, His Spirit does it in
us. While Scripture holds the
Name of the Lord in high regard,
and gives stern warnings about
misuse, it is currently popular
to brandish the Name of Jesus
about--as if it were a magical
mantra--to get what carnal men
desire.
-
Speaking on God's behalf
inaccurately, without calling
people to repentance. As a
Biblical type, the "dogs". We
are told false prophecy will get
worse towards the end. So how
can this be discerned in
ourselves and others? "The
visions of your prophets were
false and worthless; they did
not expose your sin to ward off
your captivity. The oracles they
gave you were false and
misleading."
-
This study looks at the
pathology of demonic captivity
and the Scriptural use of the
concept of possession. As a
Biblical type, the "birds of the
air". This study should be
approached with circumspection
and discernment. "When they sin
against you... you become angry
with them and give them over to
the enemy, who takes them
captive."
Our prayer for these studies is that
they bring down conviction by the
Holy Spirit, to confront us with the
Holy One of Israel with whom we have
to deal.
Will you pray with us?
Ezra 9:6-15,
Introduction
Letter